Tell Me a Beautiful Lie is a new historical/romantic musical by Chris Guin, set in Sevastopol, 1920 - the last year of the Russian Civil War. It's not produced or anything, but the site exists as a convenient way for Chris to show his friends what he's working on. The current draft is essentially finished, and recordings will be added as they are made. Hope you enjoy! You can contact the author at imaginer01@gmail.com
Plot Synopsis
ACT ONE:
Young barmaid Katya Svetlikova finds herself again in a bread line in the streets of Sevastopol - now under martial law at the hands of the anti-Communist White Army. The Crimea is one of the few parts of the old Russian Empire not under Lenin's control. Depressed by the oppression and poverty she sees around her, Katya imagines the glorious festivities to come when Sevastopol is liberated by the Red Army (WHEN THE RED MORNING DAWNS). Surreptitiously sneaking off to the telegraph office, she finds that her lover, long gone, has still sent her no word (I ONLY THOUGHT), but her hopes for his return are not stymied (AS FAR AS I KNOW).
At the Svetlikov's Tavern, we meet Katya's aunt Oksana and uncle Andrei, who wish Katya would settle down, as well as tavern patrons and stevedores Mikhaylo and Dmitri. When a White sailor named Oleksander enters the tavern looking for Katya, Mikhaylo tells him the story of Katya's first meeting with her mysterious Communist lover, Roman (KATYA). Oleksander is not impressed, and fights the crowds to visit Katya in the tavern kitchen.
Oleksander introduces himself to Katya as an old childhood friend. Eventually Katya remembers, but is discouraged that Oleksander has joined the White army, whom she views as the enemy (DON'T YOU REMEMBER ME?). Oksana appears to ladle additional guilt onto
Katya.
In Kharkov, Ukraine, we meet Roman, having just escaped from prison camp in Poland and hard at work. He is visited by a former comrade Natalya, whose advances become too close for comfort. As Roman rebuffs her for the sake of "that girl in Sevastopol," Katya pores over Roman's telegrams, yearning for the thrilling certainty of his ideology (A CERTAINY COMES). Oleksander pays a call to Katya, and the conversation quickly turns into a political debate. Frustrated by her ability to see both sides of the issue, Katya returns to the telegrams to clear her mind, as Roman likewise composes a new telegram, reminding Katya of his promise to her to find her and protect her (HARBOR FROM THE STORM).
The Svetlikov's Tavern is filled with exiles from Russia, including a now demented aristocrat known only as the Lady in Gray, who, to escape the horrors done to her by the Red Army, lives in a fantasy world in which the tavern is a grand Parisian hotel (LIFE IS A DREAM). Katya, frustrated with the patrons' indulgence of her fantasy, threatens to reveal the truth to her, but is unable to do so. When Oleksander reappears to apologize for the previous argument, Katya claims to understand how wanting to convince someone can be a difficult act of love, and accepts his invitation to join him at the market in the morning.
At the marketplace, Oleksander reminds Katya of her own philosophy of finding the joy of life and grace of God in everyday things (GRACE ABOUNDING), while Roman struggles with the path his ideals have led him down (FOR HER), as he forces a striker to sign a false confession. The scene ends with a gentle kiss between Katya and Oleksander, while Roman executes the striker when he refuses to sign the confession.
ACT TWO
Katya, now having been seeing Oleksander for some time, says a last farewell to Roman as she burns all of his telegrams (almost all of them) (TELL ME A BEAUTIFUL LIE).
At Svetlikov's Tavern, when Katya has left, Oleksander decides, reluctantly, to confront the overbearing Oksana to give Katya some space, but ends up going a little further than he intended (BACK OFF A LITTLE). Katya returns to the tavern to find herself alone, confused, and torn, revealing that she snuck a visit to the telegraph office and found a telegram from Roman, revealing that the Red Army is preparing an invasion and he is on his way (ONLY YESTERDAY). Mikhaylo arrives to take vodka and inform Katya that an evacuation has been ordered. Oleksander arrives to frantically pack Katya for the ship, but she refuses to either budge or admit to Oleksander what the problem is (THE PACKING SONG). Hurt and frustrated, Oleksander storms off into the night.
As Oleksander assumes his duties, assisting civilians with their evacuation of Sevastopol at the docks, he wonders what he did to make her so upset (WHATEVER IT IS, I'M SORRY), before finally deciding to board the ship.
Back at the tavern, Katya and Oksana learn from Andrei that the Red Army has invaded and has begun hanging the remaining population of the city. Red Guardsmen arrive and force Andrei to fill out a questionairre about his family history. Katya's hope for Roman's return is rewarded when he arrives at the door - but he is not the same Roman she remembers. He instructs them to hide in the loft, and not open the door for anyone, or will they become targets. Andrei and Oksana flee to the attic, leaving Katya to take the pistol from the bar - her first time to handle a weapon. Taking a reluctant glance out the window, she observes the streets of hanging corpses, and her illusions are shattered. A frantic knock on the door from the Lady in Gray sounds. Ignoring Roman's warning, Katya throws open the door and accepts her into the house - prompting a Red Guardsman to enter the tavern. Before he can lay a hand on Katya, however, he is shot and killed by Oleksander. When Roman returns, a confrontation ensues in which Oleksander is beaten unconscious. Roman, confused and hurt by Katya's protests, drags Oleksander into the streets to finish him.
Roman indicts the half-conscious Oleksander with crimes against humanity (NO LONGER), before leveling his gun at his victim's head. When Katya arrives, carrying her own gun, strong, Roman threatens to kill Oleksander in front of her, but is shot in the heart by Katya, who leads Oleksander back to the tavern through the city of the hanged.
In the attic loft, Katya nurses Oleksander while pondering the horrors she has witnessed, abandoning her former idealism for a new certainty (GOOD ENOUGH). The last image is of Katya standing guard at the window.
Full Script
Song Samples
The songs are me on my keyboard only - no voices yet. Check back as I update this section with more samples.
01 - When the Red Morning Dawns
*Music box opening*
CITY FULL OF DARK DESPAIR,
IN MANY WAYS… UNPLEASANT.
NOT ONE HOPE, NO WISTFUL PRAY’R,
ONLY THOUGHTS OF LIVING THROUGH THE PRESENT.
THAT’S THE WAY IT’S ALWAYS BEEN,
AT LEAST THAT’S WHAT I’M TOLD.
MAN FROM BIRTH IS STEEPED IN SIN
WHY SHOULD THAT BE CHANGED BY GROWING OLD?
BUT I’VE READ IT COULD BE PERFECT!
I THINK…
I HOPE…
I KNOW!
WHEN THE RED MORNING DAWNS
HOW ENTRANCING IT WILL BE!
WHEN THE RED MORNING DAWNS
WHAT A DANCING WE’LL SEE,
OH, WHAT WE’LL SEE!
WHAT IF YOU KNEW
THAT MEN SO KIND AND CLEVER
WERE TO RESCUE YOU
AND CHANGE THE WORLD FOREVER?
I CAN SEE THEM, SO HARD AND BATTLETORN,
AS THEY FIGHT THOSE WHO WOULD ENSLAVE US ALL,
AND AS THEY RIDE IN, SO TIRED AND SADDLEWORN,
STALWART SOLDIERS STANDING TALL!
WHAT IF THE POOR
HAD EV’RYTHING THEY NEEDED?
NO ONE LOCKED THE DOOR
OR LEFT THEIR CRIES UNHEEDED?
I CAN SEE THEM, THEIR EYES SO FULL OF TEARS
AS THOSE WHO FREED THEM SEE THEY RECEIVE THEIR DUE,
THE YOUNG AND AGED, FEELING THE PULL OF YEARS,
BEGIN TO DANCE THE WHOLE NIGHT THROUGH
WHEN THE RED MORNING DAWNS,
WHAT A WOND’ROUS JOYOUS CAUSE!
WHEN THE RED MORNING DAWNS
TO THUND’ROUS APPLAUSE,
TO SUCH APPLAUSE!
*Dance segment*
OH I’VE READ IT COULD BE PERFECT!
I THINK…
I HOPE…
I KNOW!
WHEN THE RED MORNING DAWNS
HOW ENTRANCING IT WILL BE…
WHEN THE RED MORNING DAWNS
WHAT A DANCING WE’LL SEE,
OH, WHAT WE’LL SEE…
OH I’VE READ IT COULD BE PERFECT!
I THINK…
I HOPE…
I HOPE…
AS FAR AS I KNOW
HE’S THERE FAR AWAY
IN WAR-TORN
UKRAINE, WHERE HE’S FIGHTING.
BUT NOT THAT WARTORN
SO HE’LL BE OKAY
AND THINKING OF ME AS HE’S WRITING!
IN HIS PACK, THERE MIGHT BE
A GREAT STACK OF LETTERS FOR ME!
AND SOMEHOW I KNOW THAT HE’S WAITING,
WAITING FOR ME…
I CAN FEEL THAT HE’S NEAR, THAT HE’S WITH ME,
LIKE HE’S HERE! LIKE HE’S REAL, FEEL HIS BREATH ON MY
SHOULDER!
NO MORE TEARS! I CAN FIND
BETTER YEARS THERE IN MY MIND!
AS FAR AS I KNOW,
HE’LL FINISH HIS TASK
AND THEN WRITE TO ME HE’S RETURNING!
AND THEN HE’LL BE HERE!
WHAT MORE COULD I ASK
WHEN FOUR LONESOME YEARS I’VE BEEN BURNING?
NEVER FEAR, NEVER DOUBT,
WHEN IT’S CLEAR LOVE WILL WIN OUT!
AND SOMEHOW HE’LL KNOW I’VE BEEN WAITING…
WAITING SO LONG!
SO LONG!
SO LONG!
SO LONG…
EACH EV’NING HE WOULD ARRIVE, AND WHEN SHE CAUGHT HIS LOOK
HER HEART WOULD FLUTTER MORE THAN SHE COULD TELL
A BOLSHEVIST, A MYSTERY, WRITING HARD IN HIS BOOK,
WITH PIERCING EYES, CRYSTAL EYES, BLUE AS HELL.
KATYA, KATYA,
COME, TAKE A CHANCE, WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?
KATYA, KATYA
THESE ARE THE MOMENTS THAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF.
WHAT IF YOU CASUALLY SMILED, JUST A WORD HERE OR
THERE,
WHAT IF YOU KNEW THAT IT’S ALL THAT IT TOOK?
AND WHAT IF HE RETURNED THE SMILE? OR WHAT IF HE
TOUCHED YOUR HAIR?
AND WHAT IF HE SHOWED YOU WHAT’S IN HIS BOOK?
KATYA, KATYA,
HE WAS YOUR FIRST, EVEN NOW YOUR ONLY
KATYA, KATYA
NOW YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIVE LIFE SO LONELY
THEN ONE DAY HE LEFT FOR WAR.
IF YOU’D KEEP YOUR PRIDE,
YOU’LL RUN QUICKLY OUT THAT DOOR!
SHE WON’T GIVE UP!
YOU WON’T LIVE UP TO HIM!
WE KNOW! WE’VE TRIED!
KATYA, YOU MOVE SO FAST!
LOOK SHARP, ALREADY PASSED!
OUR FUN IS IN THE GAME!
THOUGH YOU EVADE AND SHIRK,
PLEASE KNOW IT DOESN’T WORK,
WE PLAY ON JUST THE SAME!
KATYA, KATYA,
DANCE FOR ME ONE OF THE OLD STYLE DANCES!
KATYA, KATYA,
IT’S IMPOLITE TO RESIST ADVANCES!
KATYA, I LOVE TO SEE,
YOU SHOW YOUR POUT TO ME,
SURELY YOU UNDERSTAND
KATYA, YOU’RE IN YOUR PRIME!
COME NOW, IT IS A CRIME
THAT I CAN’T HAVE YOUR HAND!
KATYA, KATYA,
ALL THAT I WANT IS TO SEE YOU DANCING!
KATYA, KATYA
ALL THAT I WANT IS TO SEE YOU DANCE FOR ME!
KATYA, KATYA,
ALL THAT I WANT IS TO SEE YOU DANCING,
KATYA, KATYA,
ALL THAT I WANT IS TO SEE YOU DANCE FOR...
ME!
I ONLY THOUGHT IT WOULDN’T BE LIKE THIS
I ONLY THOUGHT IT WOULDN’T END LIKE THIS
OLEKSANDER?
PERESHENKO?
YOU REMEMBER ME, THE BOY ACROSS THE STREET?
I’M SORRY, SIR, IT DOESN’T RING A BELL.
OLEKSANDER?
PERESHENKO?
YOU REMEMBER WE WERE ONLY NINE YEARS OLD,
WHEN MY FAMILY
MOVED AWAY TO ODESSA?
YOU HAD SAID YOU’D
BE A PRINCESS
IN A PALACE LOOKING OUT ACROSS THE SEA
I REMEMBER YOU.
YOU REMEMBER ME?
SORRY.
WE WENT TO PLAY OUT ON THE BEACH ALL DAY
UP IN THE HILLS, KHERSONESUS WAY,
THE ONLY HAPPY TIMES I HAVE WERE ALL WITH YOU
DON’T YOU REMEMBER ME?
DON’T YOU REMEMBER ME…
OLEKSANDER?
PERESHENKO?
YOU’RE THE ALTAR BOY WHO ATE THE BLESSED BREAD
WHEN YOU THOUGHT THAT
NO ONE WOULD BE WATCHING!
YOU HAD SAID YOU’D
JOIN THE CLERGY
I REMEMBER YOU, I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU’RE HERE!
AND NOW LOOK AT YOU…
ALL DRESSED UP LIKE A SAILOR!
A SAILOR OF THE WHITE GUARD BLACK SEA FLEET...
WHEN I'M FEELING
LIKE I'M ON THE FENCE
OR I'M REELING
'CAUSE THE WORLD'S SO TENSE
AND NOTHING MAKES SENSE...
THEN I HEAR YOU
SAY THE TRUTH IS CLEAR.
THROUGH MY FEAR, YOU
MAKE A LIGHT APPEAR
LIKE YOU WERE HERE
LIKE WHEN YOU WERE HERE...
AND A CERTAINTY COMES!
AND IT THRILLS ME!
THEN I KNOW!
WHEN A CERTAINTY COMES,
IT INSTILLS ME
WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE WORLD CAN TURN OUT RIGHT!
THAT THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT…
WHEN A CERTAINTY COMES.
THOUGH YOU TOLD ME
TO HAVE FAITH IN YOU
WHEN YOU HOLD ME
I BELIEVE IT'S TRUE...
KNOW THAT IT'S TRUE.
IT HAS TO BE TRUE!
Part 1
WHEN A CERTAINTY COMES
IT SUSTAINS YOU,
THEN YOU KNOW!
WHEN A CERTAINTY COMES,
THOUGH IT PAINS YOU
YOU CAN’T THINK ABOUT IT, YOU
CAN JUST OBEY!
TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY…
WHEN A CERTAINTY COMES!
Part 2 - Simulatenous
COULD SHE SEE THE TRUTH
IF I NUDGE HER
MAKE HER DOUBT
AND MAKE HER SEE THERE’S TWO
SIDES TO EV’RYTHING
AND MAYBE SHE COULD LOVE ME
SOMEDAY…
NOT A CERTAINTY YET!
LIFE IS A DREAM
IF YOU WANT IT TO BE.
THINK WHAT YOU SEE
WHEN YOU’RE LOOKING ASKANCE!
LIFE IS ROMANCE
SHOULD YOU BE SO INCLINED.
SO LEAVE TEARS BEHIND
AND COME JOIN IN OUR DANCE!
A WALTZ TAKEN ‘ROUND A BROKENDOWN
HOVEL
TURNS INTO A BALL RIGHT OUT OF A NOVEL
WHEN LIFE IS A DREAM
AS YOU WANT IT TO BE!
YES, LIFE IS A DREAM
IF YOU WANT IT TO BE!
IS THIS HOW I LOOK
TO THE PEOPLE AROUND ME?
IS THIS HOW THEY FEEL
WHEN THEY SEE ME DANCE AND TWIRL?
YOU’D THINK I’D SUSPECT,
BUT IT SEEMS TO ASTOUND ME!
IS THIS WHY THE WORLD
TREATS ME LIKE A LITTLE GIRL?
LIFE IS A SIGH
IN A FAIRYTALE
LAND,
SO JUST WAVE YOUR HAND,
AND THE PAIN IS CONTROLLED!
LEAD CAN BE GOLD
WHEN YOU’RE CLOSING YOUR EYES,
AND NOBODY DIES
IN THE STORIES NOT TOLD!
COME HIDE FROM THE WORLD
THROUGH SIMPLE PRETENDING.
MAKE FOR YOURSELF YOUR
OWN HAPPY ENDING!
YES, LIFE IS A DREAM
IF YOU WANT IT TO BE!
LIFE IS A DREAM
IF YOU WANT IT TO BE...
LOVE? WAS THAT LOVE?
OR AM I JUST A COWARD?
IS LOVE TELLING LIES
TO A QUICK-BELIEVING EAR?
BUT STILL THERE ARE THOSE
WHO AREN’T SO DISEMPOWERED…
THEY TELL ONE THE TRUTH
EVEN WHEN IT HURTS TO HEAR…
SEEING WHAT YOU SEE
THOUGH
IT SEEMS TO HIDE
THERE’S A JOY INSIDE,
SIMPLE, TRUE, AND FREE!
AND I THINK YOU KNOW
‘CAUSE YOU TOLD ME SO.
IT’S THERE TO FIND – GOD’S GRACE ABOUNDING!
SURE, THINGS CAN GET YOU BLUE.
SURE, LIFE IS TOUGH.
BUT WHEN YOU’RE DANCING, YOU
CAN’T LIVE ENOUGH!
LET YOUR SPIRIT GO SOARING WILD!
BREATHLESS LAUGH OF A RUNNING CHILD!
LAUGH UNTIL I’M ON THE FLOOR,
DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M LAUGHING FOR –
WELL, I’VE FOUND THAT GRACE ABOUNDING.
*Transition music*
THIS WORLD IS LIKE AN OPEN GRAVE THAT
YOU DIG UNTIL YOU’RE DEAD,
YOUR WHOLE LIFE LONG,
YOUR EV’RY HOUR…
TO WIN THE POW’R TO DO THE GOOD YOU
DO THE WRONG INSTEAD.
TO RIGHT THAT WRONG,
YOU NEED THE POWER!
BUT I KNOW
IF WE WILL RUN THROUGH THE NIGHT,
NEVER TIRE,
WE CAN BREAK THROUGH TO THE LIGHT
SO I WILL KEEP UP THE FIGHT
FOR HER…
LIVING LIFE ALL NEW,
SEE THE WORLD TRANSFORMED,
LET YOUR SOUL BE WARMED!
BEING WITH A GIRL LIKE YOU…
WHEN YOUR SPIRIT MOVES,
EVERY MOMENT PROVES
THAT EACH DAY BRINGS THAT GRACE ABOUNDING!
FOR HER…
TIME WAS I THOUGHT THAT I
COULD NEVER COPE.
BUT THEN I FOUND OUT WHY
I HAVE A HOPE!
WHY BE SIGHING FOR HEAVEN’S CHEER
WHEN THERE’S HAPPINESS WAITING HERE?
LIFT YOUR EYES, THROW DOWN YOUR CHAINS!
SEE THE SUN SHINE WHEN IT RAINS!
THEN YOU’LL SEE GOD’S GRACE ABOUNDING!
THIS WORLD IS FULL OF SO MUCH WASTE AND WRONG
AND WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT YOU DO WHAT YOU DO TO STAY
STRONG, STAY STRONG?
Part 1
LIVING LIFE ALL NEW
SEE THE WORLD TRANSFORMED
LET YOUR SOUL BE WARMED
TO BE WITH SOMEONE LIKE YOU
WHEN YOUR SPIRIT MOVES
EV’RY MOMENT PROVES
THAT EACH DAYS BRINGS
THAT GRACE ABOUNDING
Part 2 - Simulatenous
BUT I KNOW
IF WE WILL RUN
THROUGH THE NIGHT
NEVER TIRE
WE CAN BREAK THROUGH
TO THE LIGHT
SO I WILL KEEP UP THE FIGHT
FOR HER
FOR I, I’LL CHANGE THE WORLD FOR HER!
I ALWAYS LOVED YOUR GENTLE SMILE,
SINCE THE AGE OF THREE!
LITTLE KNOWING ALL THE WHILE
IT MIGHT COME TO BE
YOU WOULD SMILE AT ME…
COME ON, PEOPLE, GET ON YOUR FEET!
THERE’S NO SITTING THROUGH LIFE THIS SWEET!
Part 1
BEAUTY, JOY REPLETE!
FULL TO OVERFLOW!
LIFE THAT FEELS COMPLETE!
KNOWING WHAT I KNOW…
THAT GRACE ABOUNDING!
Part 2 - Simultaneously
I’LL CHANGE THE WORLD, THE
WORLD!
THIS AWFUL, DARKENED WORLD!
UNJUST, OPPRESSIVE WORLD!
I’LL CHANGE THE WORLD…
FOR HER…